Sarah's Key (2011)

Sarah's Key is a true story about the Jewish deportation in France during the Second World War in 1942. It is told with very good placed flashbacks mixed with the present. The emotional scenes were well executed.There were a few dramatic situations where I had tears in my eyes.The actors delivered a solid job and especially the little girl Sarah played very strong.All the humanity should never forget what happened in the past. This must be remembered for eternity. If you are interested in these historic movies don't miss The Pianist, Der Letzte Zug, The Counterfeiters or Der Untergang. Read here my critic from each recommendation.My vote and my wife: 8/10

Taken as a whole, this film has to be considered a misfire. Though the story of a little Jewish girl named Sarah locking her little brother in a closet to hide him from police during WWII is interesting, the rest of the film about a journalist attempting to track her down is not. In spite of a good performance by Kristin Scott Thomas, her side of this drama lacks intensity, authenticity, and even narrative purpose. Is it only out of a sense of guilt that she wishes to track Sarah down? Simply because her French husband's family moved into the apartment with the little boy still locked inside the closet? Is this entire movie an indictment of the French in general for officially collaborating with the Nazis during the war? Is the reporter's husband's reluctance at being a father so late in life a byproduct of his country's selfish culture? I'm not sure, and personally have no ax to grind against the French, but this movie seems to have such an agenda.Sarah's key has some intense moments, but overall comes off as a Lifetime Network version of Schindler's list. Sarah is the story here. From the moment she discovers the fate of her brother we learn very little about her. She turned out to be a very attractive woman, so that was a plus. It is even hinted that she developed a taste for some of the wilder things in life, but exactly what those things were, this PG-13 rated film dares not tell us. Once we learn Sarah's eventual fate, we aren't that surprised, as guilt can be impossible to shake. But why couldn't we see more of her life after the war? Why do we need to learn about it in little nuggets from a reporter we really don't care about? Anyone else stunned she named her baby Sarah??? Never saw that coming. 6 of 10 stars.The Hound.

Elle s'appelait Sarah is a heart touching, sad movie about world war II definitely worth watching, yet it has got is up and down sides. Let me start with the up sides. To be very simple: the movie tells a great story. However, if you have seen other movies of WW II ( The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas,...) it becomes very familiar. Still, this movie has its unique details, so it can distinguish itself ( but only a little bit). Second good thing is the acting of the main character (Kristin Scott Thomas) which really carries this movie along with the fact it has a good story. I also have to congratulate the young actress Mélusine Mayance, for the same reason. Now the down sides. There is some bad acting from several actors like Frédéric Pierrot which surprises me a bit. Anyway, it's not really disturbing but I didn't like it. Second thing what did disturb me was the fact some scenes just didn't needed to be there, which slows the movie down. On the other side some scenes needed to be more stretched out. Third thing is the fact that the movie romanticizes the war. The camp looked like a amusement park with all the kids playing. If you're going to make a movie about the war, you should show it in all its aspects, because now it can give a biased view. Conclusion: Elle s'appelait Sarah missed a final touch. Maybe it was the acting? Or the music which didn't play a major role in it? Or scenes that had to last a little longer because they were so important? A bit of the three perhaps. In a nutshell: it's worth watching. That's why I give it a 7/10.

It makes one wonder how public officials - and how (most) policemen are like dogs - just following their masters commands/orders - right or wrong, they don't care.....People who believe in the systems,are willing o commit murder, just so they can polish their little grey heads.A great movie, with a not very happy ending, and definitely not frances finest hour.In Denmark (im a dane) ordinary people delayed and prevented the Gestapo and their hired hands -the danish police - from taking our Jewish neighbours, instead we hide them, and smugled the to Sweden.